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Instagram confirms hackers’ bug which steals celebrity info on its platform

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Instagram hack locks users out of their accounts

Picture and video sharing social media platform Instagram, has confirmed and warned of a bug by hackers which steals and sells info from some of its most popular accounts.

In a statement, Instagram noted that no passwords were revealed, but the bug did allow access to phone numbers and email addresses even if they weren’t public.

Read also: Account of Twitter user shut down over death threat on a mosquito

The hackers were selling access to the database at a price of $10 for each query, and have made at least $500 already.

According to Instagram, an automated process by the bug could steal info from up to one million accounts per hour.

Reports say Instagram couldn’t contain the bug until 12 hours after the attack started and had accessed 6 million accounts.

Initially, Instagram’s alert said that “high-profile” users may have had information revealed, but even with 700 million or so active users, there may be more people who need to know their information is out there.

 

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